Muslim group urges more action to end hunger, malnutrition in Nigeria

THE Companion, an association of Muslim men in business and the professions, has called for more commitment and innovation to end food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition in the country.

The National Amir (President), Alhaji Thabit Sonaike, made the call last Sunday at the association’s fourth National Discourse held at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos.

According to Sonaike, sustainable development cannot be achieved if there are so many hungry and malnourished people in the country.

Economic growth and positive socio-economic development, he said, must translate to benefit for all people living in the country, especially the urban poor and the rural dwellers.

Sonaike lamented that despite widely reported reduction in food import and increasing domestic food production in recent times, hunger and undernourishment are also increasing.

The vice-president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, who was a key speaker at the event, noted that 720,000 smallholder farmers had received N120.6 billion credit facilities through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme of the Federal Government, which was launched by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.